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Going up the Thames Tomorrow


Terryb

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Terry, having looked at the weather and the tidal and river data,

 

I would back out of Limehouse and poodle up towards Brentford the long way around. You will have lots to see and do and hopefully, by then, the waters will of calmed down a bit!

 

You could, then, go down to Limehouse, turn around and do what you originally set out to do!

 

Nipper

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Think on this -

If normal Upper Thames river flows are about 10 cumecs - see earlier posts -

Yesterday the flow at Maidenhead was

 

170 CUMECS

 

That's 17 times more than a narrowboat could cope with in the summer.

Not only that but if EA have posted a flood warning then (I haven't looked) there is probably a spring tide in the offing and the lock at Teddington will become a weir going UPSTREAM.

There is also likely to be a lot of rubbish coming down.

 

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU VENTURE ON TO THE RIVER EITHER THE TIDEWAY OR ABOVE until at least the Red boards have go and preferably Yellows as well.

 

The Thames is great in summer or normal flow conditions. NOT otherwise....

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I do hope Terry is safe having already had one boat sink.

Surely the lockie at Limehouse would not allow narrowboat out while river is running fast.

Terry give us an update mate.

 

It would be hoped that the Lockies would not let him out, but it would all depend on whether the Lockie is a volunteer or a proper one.

 

Last year whenever I rang them up i had differing answers to questions depending on what Lockie was on duty!

 

Nipper

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It would be hoped that the Lockies would not let him out, but it would all depend on whether the Lockie is a volunteer or a proper one.

 

Last year whenever I rang them up i had differing answers to questions depending on what Lockie was on duty!

 

Nipper

Lock-keepers can only advise - they have no actual right to prevent anybody navigating in any conditions.

On lock of that sort I hope they have an experienced volunteer. I think if I was going out there would be a lot of research done by me first before even speaking to a lockie given the fast river.

Lock keepers are often not very knowledgeable on boating - many of them do not even have a boat. They would be very far down my list of experts who I would consult with when considering a trip.

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As often - generalisation can be dangerous.

Most / many river / tidal river lock keepers are a lot more aware of boaters / needs / types than folks realise.

Being Thames based - I can only speak for my local lock resident keepers (and some reliefs as well)

Canal lockies are a different species and you don't often get to speak to them or lengthsmen - but they do exist. There are some left on CaRT waters....

 

As others have said they can only advise and 'herein lies the rub' - not only do they have to be careful, but if seen to be OTOH then they're on a 'fizzer' and can affect their job. I have certain knowledge of a solid,sound, knowledgeable lockie on my patch who got a 'disclipinary' because some bolshie boater made an unjustified complaint.

 

So the policy now is to keep Schtum (sp? - what a lovely expression). Everybody's a loser through this....

 

I trust my Thames lockies - 'cos they know what's what. Sometimes - even in these days of me-me-me it pays to listen.

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As old goat says. I do trust Thames lockies but with double and triple manning at the moment and weirs in need of some adjustments I would expect most locks to be mainly on self service until summer temps are taken on in May.

 

Paul

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You could be right - only time will tell but at least one organization is fighting hard to find out -

it's the TMBA....

 

(OK it's a bit of a plug)

Edited by OldGoat
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Is anyone worried about him not re-appearing here since his opening post?

 

Should we phone someone, do you think?

 

Edit: Cross posted with Rob-M. I guess he made it then!

Edited by Loafer
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hope you can see this on facebook. he took a video of his voyage

https://www.facebook.com/100009114095915/videos/1575659589414496/

 

Thanks GG - I can't view the video for some reason, probably poor internet in the sticks.

 

I'm not desperate to view it, I was just wondering if he knew what he was doing, but I guess he did!

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Thanks GG - I can't view the video for some reason, probably poor internet in the sticks.

 

I'm not desperate to view it, I was just wondering if he knew what he was doing, but I guess he did!

Nor me. I'm on 3G in a remote part of the South West which may explain it though.

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Thanks GG - I can't view the video for some reason, probably poor internet in the sticks.

 

I'm not desperate to view it, I was just wondering if he knew what he was doing, but I guess he did!

yep he didn't do too bad although he did go a little close to tower bridge :lol:

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he did go a little close to tower bridge laugh.png

 

Closer to the brickwork than I'd want to be by choice, as you always get eddies at bridges. They were ducking and diving a bit there too, but that's OK as long as there is no way for water to get in at the fore end. Boats with self draining bow space need to be careful in those conditions as they can become self-filling instead.

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Looking out of the office window at Putney Bridge at about 6pm yesterday (I'm retiring on Friday and the river holds more interest than work), the river seemed a bit on the lively side even at that distance. It must have been a bit after high tide, as the level was as high as I've seen it with the surface looking as if there was quite a flow going under the bridge. I'm expecting that by then Terryb had safely arrived at Richmond or wherever; from the sound on the video at Tower Bridge it seemed as if he was enjoying the trip so far at that point. It was a trip he was destined to do, given that his boat came with a rather spectacular London-related paint job all down the side. What was it like Terry? Talk to us!

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I was on the river last night. They arrived at Richmond last night ok. And quickly proved something that was advised earlier - there are no visitor moorings in Richmond. They tied up mid-sream to a buoy, which seemed a bit crazy to me because the incoming tide would have swung them in a dangerous 180 degree arc sometime around midnight when the tide gates are lifted at Richmond Lock. But the PLA were quick off the mark, within half an hour of their arrival the PLA launch was alongside and moving them on. Last I saw, they were tied to the trip-boat jetty - I presume with instructions to be away early this morning.

 

And my final observation - despite all the alarmist posts and the red boards upstream, the river was actually quite manageable last night. I had no hesitation going out there.

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Glad thy arrived safely.

Makes me feel an idiot - saying Don't, Don't.

But then you never know what competence the OP has and given that some idiot managed to get himself broached to at Chertsey bridge recently, you have to assume the worst.

 

Perhaps I'll stop giving advice on the Thames in future.....

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